Loyd, Howard lift Storm past Fever 65-61

Jun 24, 2019, 02:28 am

SEATTLE -- Jewell Loyd scored 21 points, including the go-ahead basket with 24.6 seconds left, to lift the Seattle Storm to a 65-61 win over the Indiana Fever on Sunday.

Erica Wheeler scored seven straight points for the Fever, the last two coming from the free throw line to tie the game at 61 with 35 seconds remaining. Loyd responded with a driving layup 10 seconds later. The Storm defense forced Wheeler into a difficult, contested layup with eight seconds to go and Natasha Howard came up with the loose ball and drew a foul. She hit both free throws with 5.6 seconds left to seal the win.

Alysha Clark and Shavonte Zellous added 11 points apiece for the Storm (7-4), who won their second-straight since coach Dan Hughes returned from cancer treatments.

Wheeler led the Fever with 18 points and Kelsey Mitchell had 13. Teaira McCowan grabbed 13 rebounds.

Natalie Achonwa, who missed the previous two games with a calf strain, made a buzzer-beating layup to put Indiana up 49-48 after three quarters. Zellous, starting at point guard for injured Jordin Canada, scored consecutive baskets to put Seattle up for good. Wheeler kept the Fever close, halving a six-point deficit with a deep 3-pointer with 2:32 to play.